18 November 2009

Old Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard, to get her poor doggie a bone, and when she got there the cupboard was bare.....well you know the rest. Yes the cupboards here at MTBT were bare so what to do, what to do? Shall I call out for pizza, invite myself to a friends for dinner or get creative in the kitchen and use what I have available. Canadian Chef Michael Smith would be so proud!! Put those chef hats on tight because Valli is in the kitchen!!!!! Could it be that even a week later I am still reeling from all the wonderful food we had in San Francisco at the Foodbuzz Festival and still need a reality check...sigh....This is probably the first meal I have actually attempted in the past week or so without just pulling something from the freezer. Well I was feeling creative so let's see what we have in the kitchen to work with without heading to the grocers.

I was in the mood for pasta and I see some of those jumbo pasta shells peaking out from the dark recesses. In my pantry there is an entire cupboard dedicated to pasta in every shape and size from reginette to orecchiette. I imagine your "foodie" cupboards to be the same the same.

When making delicious pasta dishes, be sure to choose a pasta shape and sauce that compliments each other. Thin, delicate pastas like angel hair or thin spaghetti, should be served with light, slightly thinner sauces. Thicker pasta shapes, like fettuccine, work well with heavier sauces. Pasta shapes with holes or ridges like mostaccioli or radiatore, are perfect receptacles for chunkier sauces.

Now let's get back to making that dish. Put your bifocals on Ms. Burnt Toast. What about that bright orange squash that has been eyeballing you for the past few weeks? It has been there since October when you purchased it at the farmers market!!!! Sheesh!!!! With its thick orange flesh and its nutty sweet flavor, the butternut squash has become a favorite ingredient around here in casseroles, quick breads, muffins, soups and even pie...so why not pasta. I have coveted many an autumnal pasta dish on many of your blogs over the past few months that have used squash and pumpkin.

Check the freezer...ooh pesto!!!!! I have afterall been dubbed the "pesto queen" by some. I have some frozen and ready to go made with toasted pine nuts and some with walnuts, either of which would offer a rich nutty flavour that would marry well with the autumn flavours of the butternut squash. I think any dish that I adore has to have at least one tablespoon of basil pesto to remind me of summer!!!! Could it be any better than the reminder of fresh basil and other herbs basking in the sun. Now don't go daydreaming Ms. Burnt Toast. You have the masses to feed...well not really...but you know. Open the fridge door...note to self...remove leftovers and chuck in bin before something reaches out and grabs you!!! What do you see?....the remainders of a container of fresh ricotta from the Italian supermarket and some Parmigiano-Reggiano ...so let's go!!!!!

This dish was healthy as well as delicious. The pesto will impart a garlicky robust flavour to both the tomato sauce and the ricotta filling. This compliments the sweet buttery flavour of the butternut squash perfectly. I was thinking some mushrooms would go so well in the sauce as well when I make this the next time!!!!I am sending this dish over to Presto Pasta Nights which is the invention of the lovely and talented Ruth over at Once Upon a Feast - Every Kitchen Tells It's Stories. I can hardly believe that this is week #140 of PPN!!! How does Ruth keep it all together with all of her other commitments as well. You rock woman!!!! This week's host is Kait of Pots and Plots.

Also check out the new KNORK that I received in my "goodie" bag at the Foodbuzz Festival in San Francisco. That's it pictured up above. It's designed to provide the benefits of both a knife and a fork. It's the next best thing to chopsticks!!!!Imagine it even gives you one less thing to wash or load up in the dishwasher since you will never find a use for your knife again...except for steak knives of course!

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil to cook the pasta. Add the pasta, return to a boil and adjust the heat so the water gently boils. Cook the pasta until al dente, about 8-10 minutes.

When the pasta shells are cooked, drain well, cool in cold water and drain well again. Thoroughly mash the baked squash and season with salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. Preheat the oven to 375F. Place the ricotta cheese in a medium bowl and mix in the eggs, 2 tablespoons of the pesto, salt, pepper, pinch of nutmeg and quarter-cup of the Parmesan cheese. Pour the tomato sauce and water into a 9-by-13-inch casserole; mix in the remaining 2 tablespoons of the pesto.

Divide and stuff the mashed squash into the bottom part of the pasta shells. Top the squash with the ricotta mixture, stuffing the pasta shells as full as you can get them.

Set the stuffed pasta shells, stuffed side up, on top of the tomato sauce. Sprinkle the shells with the remaining Parmesan cheese. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10-15 minutes more, or until the pasta is golden on top.To Roast Squash

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with a piece of aluminium foil and spray liberally with nonstick cooking spray.

Place the squash on a cutting board. With a small strong knife, remove the stem portion of the squash. Slice the squash in half end-to-end.

Scrape the seeds and pulp from the center of the squash with a large spoon and discard. Then cut each portion in half, creating four pieces which are approximately equal in size.

Place the wedges on the baking sheet, with the cut side up. Using a pastry brush, coat each piece of butternut squash with melted butter.

Sprinkle salt and pepper over the buttered squash pieces.

Cover the squash with foil, and place in the oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until tender. Remove the pan from the oven, and let the squash stand for 5 minutes. Remove flesh and mash thoroughly.

You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author/owner of More Than Burnt Toast. All rights reserved by Valerie Harrison.

OK, you got me with that title. All those squashes and pumpkins that watch me from every room in my house are not too happy every time I take one of them to the kitchen, but it's their fault for being so delicious! LOL. I love this recipe and I didn't realize that pastas and sauces should be paired... Now I've learned something new :)

(1) You have very good taste in plates (I have the same one featured in your first photo)...and(2) Some of the best meals are the ones created from necessity, i.e. ingredients we have lying around or leftovers!

This dish sounds delish, Val, and I'm so happy to hear you had a great time at Foodbuzz in SF!

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My blog More Than Burnt Toast has been my passion for almost 12 years and has evolved with me over time as I have gained confidence in the kitchen. Follow my travels through Italy and Greece one recipe at a time, upcoming cooking classes at local Okanagan wineries and restaurants, as well as daily experimentation in my own kitchen. Every day we should be excited about what we are eating even if it just means making use of a wonderful find at our local farmers market. I look forward to getting to know you.